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Armed Forces / Re: RAF Haydock
« on: Tuesday 29 November 05 19:43 GMT (UK) »
Hi Annie,
Hmmmm, might bew interested! Where do I start?
Jimbo.
Hmmmm, might bew interested! Where do I start?
Jimbo.
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2
Armed Forces / Re: RAF Haydock
« on: Monday 28 November 05 22:57 GMT (UK) »
Jamieklute
That's very kind of you. I would be delighted to take up your offer. If you contact me on jwilliamson@lowergornal.freeserve.co.uk I will send you my details.
Many thanks again.
Jimbo.
That's very kind of you. I would be delighted to take up your offer. If you contact me on jwilliamson@lowergornal.freeserve.co.uk I will send you my details.
Many thanks again.
Jimbo.
3
Armed Forces / Re: RAF Haydock
« on: Sunday 20 November 05 18:08 GMT (UK) »
Jamieklute
Sorry, thought you said you left in 1966.
Same here, although I only did 9 years, but loved every second of it, biggest mistake in life was ever leaving the RAF, I even enjoyed Bridgnorth, although I had been in the Army Cadets for 5 years before I enlisted so I was used to being shouted at.
I live about 3 miles from Halfpenny Green airport now. Our R&I camp was at Sleap Aerodrome, near Shrewsbury. A fellow Scot called Charlie Carruthers played the bagpipes, so he had to walk up and down the lines of tents playing reveille. He should have been paid danger money for the number of boots that were thrown at him.
He ended up as one of my room mates for my last few months in Aden. He came out three weeks after me and 12 months down the line he was still as white as the day he arrived. Never did anything or went anywhere, just went to work and came back and lay on his bed, so we dragged him everywhere with us and when I left he was a lot happier young lad and had a good tan as well.
My Anderson line is from Glasgow from what little we know of it at the moment, but my father was from Wick, Caithness. He was one of 14 children so who knows where they all ended up. Havent heard of any from the Orkney Isles though.
Take care,
Jimbo
Sorry, thought you said you left in 1966.
Same here, although I only did 9 years, but loved every second of it, biggest mistake in life was ever leaving the RAF, I even enjoyed Bridgnorth, although I had been in the Army Cadets for 5 years before I enlisted so I was used to being shouted at.
I live about 3 miles from Halfpenny Green airport now. Our R&I camp was at Sleap Aerodrome, near Shrewsbury. A fellow Scot called Charlie Carruthers played the bagpipes, so he had to walk up and down the lines of tents playing reveille. He should have been paid danger money for the number of boots that were thrown at him.
He ended up as one of my room mates for my last few months in Aden. He came out three weeks after me and 12 months down the line he was still as white as the day he arrived. Never did anything or went anywhere, just went to work and came back and lay on his bed, so we dragged him everywhere with us and when I left he was a lot happier young lad and had a good tan as well.
My Anderson line is from Glasgow from what little we know of it at the moment, but my father was from Wick, Caithness. He was one of 14 children so who knows where they all ended up. Havent heard of any from the Orkney Isles though.
Take care,
Jimbo
4
Armed Forces / Re: RAF Haydock
« on: Saturday 19 November 05 17:11 GMT (UK) »
JAMIEKLUTE
We must have been at Haydock at about the same time. I arrived there in September 1964 and left in December 1965, just one week before Christmas, for HQ2ATAF, which was thought to be Rheindahlen, but I ended up in Belgium.
You were lucky, you were on the side of the camp away from the slag heap, we worked right next to it. The scary part was when it caught fire and the fire brigade had to come out to douse it. Happened too often for my liking. Hope they did some serious clearing up if they built houses on it.
Have a look at this link to my website, there are a couple of photos of people you may or may not recognise.
http://www.lowergornal.freeserve.co.uk/RAF_PHOTOS__index.html
All I remember of the WRAF contingent is that one or two caused a bit of trouble amongst the lads, but they all moved out shortly after I arrived there.
We must have been at Haydock at about the same time. I arrived there in September 1964 and left in December 1965, just one week before Christmas, for HQ2ATAF, which was thought to be Rheindahlen, but I ended up in Belgium.
You were lucky, you were on the side of the camp away from the slag heap, we worked right next to it. The scary part was when it caught fire and the fire brigade had to come out to douse it. Happened too often for my liking. Hope they did some serious clearing up if they built houses on it.
Have a look at this link to my website, there are a couple of photos of people you may or may not recognise.
http://www.lowergornal.freeserve.co.uk/RAF_PHOTOS__index.html
All I remember of the WRAF contingent is that one or two caused a bit of trouble amongst the lads, but they all moved out shortly after I arrived there.
5
Armed Forces / Re: RAF Haydock
« on: Friday 18 November 05 17:08 GMT (UK) »
Hi Jamie,
That was interesting re Alex Murphy. Don't remember any mention of him while I was there. It wasn't my first posting after training, that was to Aden, but it was my first UK posting and I loved every second of it.
What you called Haydock Lane I thought we called it Slag Lane. I remember the British Legion, a few of the guys went there on a Sunday lunchtime for the "entertainment" if you know what I mean.
Did you ever visit the Greasy Spoon Transport Cafe on the other side of the East Lancs Road? When we were on camp on a weekend it was an absolute must. Bacon and egg butties like doorstgops and a massive mug of tea, absolutely delicious.
Something else that comes to mind now, probably in 1966 after I left, was that a body was dumped at the top of the sports field, just off the East Lancs Road. My mate from those days, who I am still in touch with, wrote and told me, but I seem to remember it was also in the national papers.
I was in private accommodation with my wife in Grosvenor Road, St Helens when I first moved to Haydock, right opposite the Pilkington Glass factory, and just round the corner from the Saints ground. The people whose house we rented the top floor from were big Saints fans, and even now I'm still a bit of a fan.
That was interesting re Alex Murphy. Don't remember any mention of him while I was there. It wasn't my first posting after training, that was to Aden, but it was my first UK posting and I loved every second of it.
What you called Haydock Lane I thought we called it Slag Lane. I remember the British Legion, a few of the guys went there on a Sunday lunchtime for the "entertainment" if you know what I mean.
Did you ever visit the Greasy Spoon Transport Cafe on the other side of the East Lancs Road? When we were on camp on a weekend it was an absolute must. Bacon and egg butties like doorstgops and a massive mug of tea, absolutely delicious.
Something else that comes to mind now, probably in 1966 after I left, was that a body was dumped at the top of the sports field, just off the East Lancs Road. My mate from those days, who I am still in touch with, wrote and told me, but I seem to remember it was also in the national papers.
I was in private accommodation with my wife in Grosvenor Road, St Helens when I first moved to Haydock, right opposite the Pilkington Glass factory, and just round the corner from the Saints ground. The people whose house we rented the top floor from were big Saints fans, and even now I'm still a bit of a fan.
6
Armed Forces / Re: RAF Haydock
« on: Saturday 05 November 05 12:04 GMT (UK) »
Greyhound,
I've sent an email to the RAF News asking if they know of any info or photos from the closing ceremony. If I receive a reply I will forward it to you.
Jimbo
I've sent an email to the RAF News asking if they know of any info or photos from the closing ceremony. If I receive a reply I will forward it to you.
Jimbo
7
Armed Forces / Re: RAF Haydock
« on: Tuesday 01 November 05 21:59 GMT (UK) »
Tried every conceivable search I could think of on the net for RAF Haydock last night but drew a complete blank.
Hope the chap who served his NS there proves fruitful.
Good luck,
Jimbo
Hope the chap who served his NS there proves fruitful.
Good luck,
Jimbo
8
Armed Forces / Re: RAF Haydock
« on: Monday 31 October 05 20:23 GMT (UK) »
No response as yet. Asked an old pal from our Haydock days yesterday if he had any info, but he knows, or remembers, less than me.
Have you tried the local newspaper? I would have thought the closure would have been big news in the Haydock area.
Jimbo
Have you tried the local newspaper? I would have thought the closure would have been big news in the Haydock area.
Jimbo
9
Armed Forces / Re: RAF Haydock
« on: Sunday 30 October 05 19:34 GMT (UK) »
I have just posted a message on SP asking if anyone know of any photos from the closing ceremony, will keep you posted.
Jimbo
Jimbo
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